CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Litton Marine Systems (LMS), a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), has supplied a complete suite of navigation, machine control and stabilization systems for the new European Ambassador, which recently entered service on the Liverpool-Dublin route.

The European Ambassador, a 25,206 grt ro-ro fast ferry, was built for P&O Ship Management (Irish Sea) Ltd. at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Shimonoseki. Its sister ship, European Causeway, was delivered last year and operates between Cairnryan, Scotland, and Larne, Northern Ireland.

Both of the ships were fitted with a Litton Vision 2100 integrated bridge system (IBS); ISIS 2500 alarm, monitoring and control system; and Sperry gyrofin stabilizers.

The ISIS 2500 system includes a serial data interface with the ships' Wartsila local control system for the main engines, as well as more than 700 channels for monitoring generators, auxiliaries, fire systems, HVAC systems, bilges, tanks and other shipboard equipment. The ISIS 2500 also provides remote control of bilges, ballast tanks and ventilation. It meets Lloyd's Register specifications for unmanned engine space.

The gyrofin stabilizer systems utilize new-generation digital control technology developed by Litton's Sperry Marine business unit.

The European Ambassador is a conventional fast ferry with capacity for 123 commercial vehicles, 375 cars and 405 passengers. With a top speed of more than 25 knots, it will provide overnight crossing times of just seven and a half hours.

LMS was formed from the consolidation of Sperry Marine (Charlottesville, Va., USA), Decca Marine (New Malden, UK) and C. Plath (Hamburg, Germany). LMS manufactures and markets products under the Sperry, Decca and C. Plath brand names. With offices in 19 countries and authorized service depots in more than 300 locations worldwide, LMS provides "one source" for marine navigation, communication and information systems, products and service.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $15 billion, global aerospace and defense company with its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in defense and commercial electronics, systems integration, information technology and non-nuclear shipbuilding and systems. With 80,000 employees and operations in 44 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.